Guwahati, Jan 9: The tragic deaths of 13 miners trapped in an illegal rat-hole mining site in Assam’s Dima Hasao district have sparked intense outrage, with opposition parties accusing the BJP-led state government of negligence and complicity in illegal mining activities. The incident, which has left more than 13 miners trapped for days, has drawn fierce criticism from the Congress, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), and Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP).

Congress Demands Accountability and Judicial Inquiry
Congress leader and Lok Sabha MP, Pradyut Bordoloi, has pointed the finger at the Assam Mineral Development Corporation (AMDC), accusing the state-run entity of operating the coal mine illegally. Bordoloi slammed Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for turning a blind eye to the rampant illegal mining in the state, and shared a challan dated November 17, 2023, that documented the transport of 10 metric tons of coal from the site, issued in the name of Konika Hojai, wife of Debolal Gorlosa, Chief Executive Member (CEM) of the Dima Hasao Autonomous Council (DHAC).

In response, a delegation from the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC), led by working president Jakir Hussain Sikdar, visited the disaster site and called for a judicial inquiry into the political and administrative involvement in the illegal mining operations. “Such illegal activities cannot thrive without political blessings,” Sikdar stated, emphasizing that workers had been forced to work in hazardous conditions, with only one body recovered so far from the flooded mine.

Sikdar also accused BJP leader Gorlosa and his wife of being directly involved in the illegal mining operations, and vowed that the Congress party would continue its fight until all those responsible were held accountable. The delegation met with local authorities, including the District Commissioner and Superintendent of Police, to demand more robust rescue operations, adequate compensation for the victims, and strict action against those behind the illegal mining activities.

AAP Joins Call for Action and Investigation
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has added its voice to the opposition’s condemnation of the Assam government, demanding justice for the victims and accountability for the alleged complicity of political leaders and government officials. AAP state vice-president Anurupa Dekarja accused the state government of sponsoring illegal mining activities in Umrongso, despite a Supreme Court ban on rat-hole mining.

Dekarja specifically pointed to the involvement of Konika Hojai, wife of DHAC CEM Debolal Gorlosa, and the continued operation of illegal coal mines under their alleged patronage. “The state government has allowed illegal mining to flourish in Umrongso, putting poor labourers in unsafe and life-threatening conditions,” Dekarja said. She also criticized the slow progress of the rescue operation, noting that after four days, none of the trapped miners had been recovered.

AAP has demanded a CBI investigation into the incident to uncover the truth behind the illegal mining activities and the government’s alleged role in enabling such operations. The party has also called for the immediate arrest of Konika Hojai and others involved in the illegal mining operations, as well as a thorough investigation into how these activities continue despite the ban and the authorities’ knowledge of them.

Dekarja further criticized the police for their failure to take action against the key culprits and called for a full investigation into the officials and politicians who are believed to allow illegal mining syndicates to operate with impunity. She also demanded that the state government provide compensation to the families of the victims.

“This tragedy is not isolated—similar incidents in Lego and Margherita in Tinsukia district have claimed the lives of many miners. These illegal syndicates are operating under the protection of those in power, which is why no action has been taken in the past,” Dekarja added.

As calls for justice intensify, the opposition continues to press for swift action, including a judicial inquiry and an investigation into the alleged network of political and administrative connections that sustain illegal mining in Assam.

Read: Rescue operations at Umrongso coal mine face growing challenges

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